City Commission - Regular Meeting

Hey

Hey, hey, hey. All right. Commissioner Seerson Eatens walking in. Give her just a minute. morning.

All right, let's call this meeting back to order. Pompino Beach City Commission. Um, do we need to call the role again or just signify that all members are present? Once again, Mr. Burman, I'm not sure about that. Normally you'd call the RO, but you just put on the record that all members are present, so there's no Very good. Let's move on with our our agenda then. I believe it was uh up to Commissioner Perkins for her her commission reports. Commissioner Perkins, I was going to say I wasn't done. I was just stopping because we were at 11:00 a.m. I'm kidding. I'm just joking, guys. 11 p.m. I just thought we were done at 11 PM, so I was like, "Oh, I guess I'll move on." All right. Comm Mr. Perkins.

All right. Thank you, Mayor. Um I would like to know from um staff about and mayor you can chime in if you feel you need to. Um how how are we chosen to be on the no board or organizational committee? Is that something that we volunteer for or how how does that work that we have one representative sitting on the dis serving on that uh board of organization? The city commission appoints the member of the of the city commission to sit on the no board of directors.

Okay. So if we appoint is it their duty to come back from time to time to give us an update on what's going on there or there's all sorts of information on their website and uh from our development services department with regard to what's going on in NO.

Okay. Because I would think and I think we have the league of cities or whatever. I I think from time to time there needs to be an update to the commissioners or to this uh dis as to what's going on to just give us a little insight of it. I know that we can do research but I'm sure there's a reason that we have a representative. So if they're representing representing the dis or the commissioners then we should periodically get some type of update or Yes ma'am. We'll see that uh the commission gets an updated report periodically.

Okay. I agree. I I thank you for that. Um I only had one other thing. I just want to mention to everybody again about the uh women walking with a vision again will take place on Saturday. Um we will be starting at Mitchum Moore Community Park walking to Apollo Park where we will end. Um it's a very great uh event for women history month. Again, again, it's Saturday, March 28th from 9 to 3. We will end at Opalo Park where we will have some speakers, inspirational speakers there. And also, um, Easter baskets will be given away at that time as well. So, this will take place on March 28th, uh, starting at the Mitchimmore Center and we will walk to Apollo Park. So, asking everybody to please join us if you can for women history month. It's uh going to be women speaking to the whole body of a woman, but men are invited as well. So, I would love to see some of you on the DAS join us. Even if you can't walk, if you could, you know, attend at Opalo Park for some of the uh speakers, which will be an awesome event. And that's it for me. Thank you, Mayor.

Good. Commissioner Seager Eden.

Thank you. And good morning, Mayor. Um so, a couple of things. Um the county is going to be doing some repair work at um North Pompeo Park uh to repair some uh sanitary access points where they'll be repairing repouring some of the surrounding cement and that will be in the dog run only. So the dog run at North Pompa Park will be closed this Thursday and Friday for those repairs. But the rest of the um the rest of the park will be open uh without any issues. And I also wanted to give an update on uh the street light situation. You know, at the beginning of um installing those beautiful street lights, which um I worked so hard to do and I thank the city and staff for all their help. We're having some uh issues with some of the electrical grid and it's a large area and somewhat complicated but thanks to the help of Mr. Harrison and and staff John Stroophilus who interfaces with NFPNL regularly, we are taking care of we are working on uh resolving all of those issues with individual lights. And it used to be that uh I'd get calls about, you know, about the lights that they were complaining. Now it's oh my gosh, my light is out and it's too dark. And so I'm really h I'm really thankful uh for them and and I think also they have definitely helped to reduce crime uh in our community uh for sure. um and

they have made the neighborhood very safe uh for walkers and people driving um etc. And and so again, we are working on resolving those issues. If you notice a street light out, I urge you to uh go online and and report it or give me a call and I'll report it for you. So that uh that was my second item. But um so now that I got to thinking about some of the issues that were brought up last night, I wanted to add to my report. Um um a few of us were on this DAS back when uh the approval was made for the what is now duet development. And I recall that there was a woman, I believe her name was Sandy Van Staten, who came up during that quasi judicial proceeding and handed out said she had 1300 signatures and it turned out that every page was blank. Now that should be in the record. It was quasi judicial. Do you remember that, Mark?

Yes. Yes, he remembers. and it was a quasi judicial proceeding. So I would like verification as to whether those 1300 signatures are in fact validated and notorized because there is some confusion in my mind that there were no signatures presented that were valid and notorized at the time that this development was approved. Um and um I guess that's it. And the other thing is I just want to wish everyone a very happy Easter. Thank you. Very good. Thank you. To correct the record, the the name is wrong. So the name that was wrong. I'm sorry, Commissioner.

Yes, I know. I'm sure you want to shut it down. That's fine. I I'm going to go to the car and go get those signatures. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Go ahead, Commissioner Smith. Uh, Mayor, before she speak, can I say something? Good morning, everyone. Oh, no. Go ahead, Commissioner. Go ahead. Go ahead, Commissioner Smith. It's it's it's your report.

Thank you. I was excited last night to hear the summary of the Tiger Trail that they raised $92,000. I think that's phenomenal. They are so organized and they have such a broad base of volunteers. I just feel that every event that I went to, it just felt like family. And I think it's great that we have an organization like that working the entire month of Black History Month, bringing family and community together. Um, specific to District 5, Big Daddy Conchk Restaurant and Grill at 361 Northwest 27th Avenue had a soft opening this week. I don't know when the official opening will be, but pay attention to the property. I can't wait to go eat the collar greens. I hear they're phenomenal. So Shaman Higgs and his family, when you see um cars around, stop in, have a bite to eat, and show them some um community love and support for their business. Something about community. Um I want to talk about the Pomps community charitable grant. It is starting. The grant program is going to the advisory members on April 1st and to community partners on May 1st. So, if you're a nonprofit in Pompo Beach, you will want to um be watching for May 1st, and I'll make sure that I have it in my newsletter and and keep people in district five involved. But I wanted to let you know that in 2000 in 25 they gave uh they had 48 applicants and all of them were funded. The total distribution in 25 was 180,000 and over the last five years they have given in grants $469,000. So I think it's a wonderful um program

that the quarters group has. So um nonprofits um watch for May 1 and let's get some money for you. My positive quote is from John Lennon. Peace is not something you wish for. It's something you make, something you do, something you are, and something you give away. Thank you, Mayor. Very good. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Mayor, can I say something before? Yeah. Okay. Sure. Go ahead, M. Because if I said at the end, you're going to cut me off.

Commission Perkins. Um, as I was leaving last night, if staff could look into the uh street lights that are out on Dixie Highway between 15th and 16th. Um, all of the street lights are out in that area on Dixie Highway. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Vice Mayor,

thank you. I have a few items. First, um, this board put me on the audit committee, and I do think it's incumbent on people who sit on committees to give updates periodically. So, I'm going to just give a brief update on what this is and where we're at on that committee. Um, we had our first meeting of the group last week. um actually and uh we reviewed the RFP and the R that will go out next month and that will um be the you know the way we select our city auditors for the next five-year contract. So, it is a great committee of people with a lot of uh finance expertise from all around the county from different cities, Perick Pines, Tamarak, uh Coconut Creek and more. So, uh they met, reviewed the RFP in great detail, had really good feedback and um I will keep people updated as we go in this committee so that there's no surprises when it gets to the commission with the recommendation. Um, second, I want to talk about the workshop we had on standalone police department vers um and BSO. Uh, I I feel like we left that workshop with just as much uncertainty and without a plan. Uh, and I do think time is of the essence here. We we have till end of September to decide to enter a contract or go a different direction. So, I I'd like this board to take a couple minutes to think about and talk about a a plan going forward. The city manager's recommendation was to enter another one-year contract. And like I said at the workshop, if we're going to do that, I want to make sure that we have a strong negotiating team that's really looking into some of the issues

that surfaced in the consulting report, the consultants report that we have. Um, so I believe that we should put together a negotiating committee that starts now getting questions answered and making sure that we're not duplicating services with with the county services that are provided and um works to negotiate the absolute best one-year contract renewal that we can uh knowing that we have the standalone option uh if if we can't come to an agreement. So, I would like to ask um the city manager to put together a proposal for who sits on this u negotiating committee and you know, city staff should be on it. Maybe there's a representative from one of the one of the groups that did the report. I don't know if it's Paul O'Connell or or whoever the city deems um appropriate. I also think that at least one commissioner should sit on that committee and uh maybe Mr. Waters and Earl and Brian. I I I I'm not I would leave it up to the city manager to suggest who the the right people are, but I think it should include at least one member of the commission and um you know, if there's someone from the consulting firm that is appropriate. So, do I need to make a motion to to do this or I'll make a motion to ask the city manager to put together a negotiating committee to work towards uh that the best one-year contract with BSO that we can negotiate?

Second, Vice Mayor, we we really don't have a committee. It's been the city attorney and me and various staff members,

right? And that's what I'm asking. I'm asking for a committee to put to be put together uh because I I don't I think the history is not negotiating the the best deals and that came up in the consulting report that there are a lot of opportunities that we might be missing and I want to make sure that we in this contract that we we don't miss those opportunities. I think that we need a group including someone on this board and I would be happy to do it um to to dig into some of the the details of what we're actually paying for and if we're getting what we're paying for. Question is it been moved and seconded for the committee. Okay. Question. So what type of committee are you saying? A committee from the community or each of the commissioners appoint one person or how do you and to organize or create the committee?

So I think it's leg I think it's a lot of city staff, right? It's I don't think we have community members involved necessarily because I I think that starts getting a little bit um harder to manage because I I think it's got to be people willing to really dig into that contract and with some level of like expertise to go through what we're getting versus what we're paying for and same thing with what we're getting from the county level versus what we're paying for at the city level. So I mean I think it's probably a lot of the same people that normally do it. So, legal counsel from the city, um the the other appropriate city staff, but I would like to include at least a commissioner and maybe someone from the consulting firm, someone who spent all that we spent all that money doing the report and really dug in to the details and could give us some insight as we negotiate since they have all that expertise from months of digging in.

Okay. So, your motion is saying you want to include one commissioner from the DAS to represent and perhaps a consult. Yeah, the consultant or or if there's anyone else this um that people deem appropriate. I'm sorry that wasn't part of your original motion. So, I'll I'll I'll withdraw my second. I'll second it then. Okay. Been moved and seconded. Create a committee as per the vice mayor's suggestions um to direct the city manager to create a committee as per the vice mayor's suggestions. The discussion on the on the motion. Yeah, Commissioner Fess.

I think it's a great idea. We heard a lot from people and that and I think that ultimately working together to negotiate a better contract which one BSO has already come to the table when I when I met with Sheriff Tony he he had very clearly stated that he was you know wanting to make sure that we worked to with him to get whatever we needed from the contract. So there is that there is that offer there and it's on us to tell him what we need. it's on us to to negotiate that contract well and effectively. Um the reason why I think it would be great to have a a committee where there is a commissioner president is because then we know that if there are well in the perfect world if it if let's say if there is somebody on the committee then they would come back to us at one of the meetings perhaps during a report or an update and be able to give us some sort of feedback based on hey here's what we're discussing what you know what do you what's the feedback from your community about this or some sort of update so we could push it to the community and perhaps get feedback from residents that they can apply to that contract. Um, secondly, the when I was going through the contract somewhere in just just to make this point, somewhere in between 2016 in the 2020 contract, we lost our 5% cap. So, I I think we I think it's good to have more eyes and more brains on negotiating the best contract we can and I love the idea of having somebody from the consultant group be a part of that as well. Let's let's see what we can do. Thanks.

Very good. Commissioner Seager Siden.

Uh yeah. Well, let's just go back a little bit and remember how we got here because we had uh members of the community uh from time to time saying to us that oh, we can save so much money if we go with our own independent police force. Um we can save money. We can save money. That's was the the mantra. However, as it turns out, we will not be saving money at all. And most of I I would say virtually all if not all all the taxpayers I have talked to have expressed that they don't want their taxes to go up. They don't want to pay more for a standalone police department. um they express if it's not broken, let's don't fix it. Expressions like that is what I'm hearing. Um so a consultant is to sit on that board is going to cost money. And for a police department, a standalone police that's not saving us any money, that's costing us money. I don't see any sense in spending more money on the issue uh for hiring a consultant to sit on the board. Um how Mr. Harrison, can you just give a brief overview on the way we negotiate contracts and I'm sure there's unions involved and a number of of issu could you just give me a brief overview on that?

Are you talking in general or this specific uh contract? the BSO contract. Well, in in general, I guess with regard to the BSO contract, well, we would we would have all the information from our procurement department handed down to city staff, whatever the respective related department is with that particular uh project and then uh I would review all of that with them in the final analysis and uh then authorize a decision to be made. But in this particular case over the years, it's been the uh every five years. Is that isn't that correct, Mark? Every five years.

Yes. The city attorney and the city manager and related staff that has been working uh closely with uh BSO and uh someone from from BSO. I believe it's his name Fudge, the attorney. He's one of them. Yeah. Okay. Depends who they send. They may send their chief counsel. I don't know. Yeah. Anyway, uh over the course of let's say 6 months uh all the pros and cons are cussed and discussed and evaluated and then uh finally a contract comes before the city commission.

Okay. It's all the point is it's all done by professional staff. Yes. And we have some very good professional staff. Um, that's exactly it. It's professional experts. It's attorneys, uh, union attorneys, representatives from BSO, representatives from our city. So, I don't really feel the need to set up a committee, uh, at all. Thank you.

Very good. further vice mayor. So part part of why I think this is important is um in the past the city manager has asserted that BSO is a good negotiating partner and and easy to negotiate with but our consultants report indicated that we are leaving a lot potentially on the table that there were opportunities and one of the paths they dis they recommended was renegotiating and there were some thoughts in the report about opportunities and I would like to make sure that we capitalize on those opportunities in this negotiation. So, I don't think that we've always, you know, been getting the best deal. And I think we now have more information because we spent the money on that report. So, to just throw that aside and continue doing what we've done in the past instead of really leverage all that work we did, I think would be a waste of that report and the time and effort that the consultants did. Um, and I also think the reason I'm saying this now is I I do think time is of the essence. Like I said, we need to stay on top of this. So, I get the sense there's a lot of items that this commission is just kicking down the road until after November elections because they just think something's going to change. Uh, but this is one of the items we can't do that with. This is public safety. It's too important. It has a deadline in September. And I think the more time we have to get ahead of this, the better. So, we if we don't do something now, what are we going to get an update in three months with how the city negotiations are going and what kind of confidence are we going to have in this? And I don't want us to sit here with a 3-3 vote in September because some people don't have confidence and that we got the best deal we could. So I am trying to do this proactively to ensure that we get to a really good place where we are all comfortable before we end before we take action in September which is before the election that I know everyone's trying to kick the can down the road and wait for. This is not one of those things we can do that with.

Mayor Mr. H. I want to make sure that I didn't say anything that could be misunderstood that uh indicates that we're going to throw all of this information to the side, right? Uh we will not be doing that. It's we will we will be using the information in the uh Rafillis report uh as as we venture into the uh contract negotiation. Mr. Harrison, do you have an issue with a commissioner and vice mayor? Vice Mayor, Vice Mayor. Thank you. Well, I had the I had the No, no, you don't have You were finished, Mr. Harrison. I I'm sorry. I was about to speak. Thank you. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I'll come back to you. Don't worry. There's plenty of time.

Could you just Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed? No, I got to get up on the right side of the bed. Let's try for a little bit more polite.

Very good. Thank you, Vice. So, um I was going to make that exact point, Mr. Harrison that uh of course you're going to digest the report that we got from our consultant and investigate all of that and I'm quite satisfied that we have professional staff that can negotiate this contract. Um it's that's whose job it is to run the city is the city manager with staff. So I'm I'm quite uh quite happy with just asking Mr. Harrison go ahead and do that. And I I actually was going to bring that up in commission reports if if somebody else hadn't to go ahead and make the motion to move forward with negotiating a contract with BSO because the vice mayor is absolutely correct. We do have a critical public safety issue that we are facing because the current contract with BSO will be expiring. So we need to get busy negotiating with the sheriff to do do that. Thank you. Further commission discussion. Commissioner Smith. As I was reading through the report and probably all of us did the same thing, I made notes of um the suggestions for renegotiated contract, I would love to share the notes with you and your staff. Um and anybody else that also took notes. I have one and a half pages of notes of suggestions from Raf Telus in the report. So, I agreed, let's let's let staff do what you do and um share our ideas with you, but not necessarily sit on the committee with you.

Thank you, mayor. Further commission discussion, mayor. Commissioner F. Thank you.

So, I just want to address something. This this motion is not about creating a standalone police department as was construed before. This is about negotiating the contract and and making sure we get the best deal with the best services for the good of our public safety and the good of the residents that live here and for the best price possible as well. Rafelis did have did have a lot of information that I think is very very valuable. Um, one thing to one thing we have we have these shade meetings that we that we go into often. And so maybe if there's, you know, if there's if saving money from a consultant standpoint, I mean, obviously this this contract negotiation, it's going to be within a very set period of time. So it's going to be it's not like we're going to have a consultant that is on an annual contract or or whatever. It could be, you know, for an afternoon or two meetings or three meetings. It might not be a committee that that meets regularly over months to get to September. But, you know, one of the things that it might be worth doing is having the consultant on one of the phone calls and then maybe not being part of the committee, but maybe we should because I think at some point we all have residents who have concerns and who they have something that's really really important to them as part of, you know, each district. But overall, you'll see a lot of those things overlap as we as we did at the workshop. And maybe part of it would be having a one of those shade meetings like we have for other contract negotiations where we can all bring some ideas to the table and to negotiate the contract further. So I just just want to throw that out there as it being a as being a possibility. That way we all have insight. We all feel like we have contributed and then at that point once everything is known make sure that we do have somebody from the commission on the negotiating team. So whether it be a whether it be, you know, a separate committee or whether it just be the fact that we have somebody from this board

sitting on the team representing the will of the board and that would be great. Just another opportunity to to to offer that thought. Thank you. Very good. Mr. Burman, just a point of information. Can we hold a shade meeting about contract negotiations with Broward Sheriff's Office? No, these are not union negotiations. Thank you. Further commission discussion?

Yes, Mayor Commissioner Perkins. Just to clarify, uh, so well, city manager, we're asking for the contract to be extended from September of this year to next September of next year. Is that what we're doing? Okay. And there's no way the staff can uh come up with some ideas of funding for six for the next six months. You need more time. Is that the reason for extending it? Well, the reason for extending it is so that we won't be left in the lurch without a formal agreement with BSO for public safety.

Yeah, I I understand that. But what I'm saying is the reason we're extending it for one year is because we don't have enough time to find funding to stand alone. Correct. Okay, that's my question. Thank you. That's one big looming reason, but Yes. Okay. Not the only reason. Thank you. for the vice mayor.

Thank you. So, uh, Mr. Harrison, you are telling me that we are great at negotiating contracts then and yet we hire a consultant and they say, "Hey, you actually haven't really been doing great." So, this is the disconnect that I'm trying to to bridge now to prevent an issue when we need to approve this in September. So, if no one else up here is concerned about us getting to a 3-3 because there's a lack of confidence that we negotiated the best deal possible, then then then you're right. This is this is a waste of of time. But I I really believe that we need to have a process that we can all trust. And um that's a that's a tough ask around here at times trusting the process that goes on uh in and yes staff obviously will take the lead in negotiating with the sheriff but I think a committee that they have to report back to that we are that gives feedback oversight ask questions um you know meeting maybe once a month as we go through it to see how things are progressing would be really productive and help us get to the best contract we can and to a place where this board can actually approve it and trust that there was oversight and feedback in the process. Thank you.

Very good. Um, this is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed. Further commission discussion on the motion. Let's call the role. Commissioner Fez, yes. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seager Eaton, no. Commissioner Smith, no. Vice Mayor Forier. Yes. May Hart, no. Vice Mayor, still have the floor.

Thank you. Uh, I wanted to follow up on one of the items that Commissioner Fezic talked about yesterday. Uh, and that is the contract with Lotus Mindset. Uh, I uh have some concerns about uh breaches to this contract and I've asked the questions of the city manager and gotten relatively turs responses about freedom of speech. But Mr. Burman. One of the items in the scope of the contract says, "Produce short films, live streams, and social media content to promote transparency and engagement." Would you believe that a podcast on social media on uh talking about community engagement relative to a downtown by two of the principles of Lotus Mindset would be would qualify as part of the contract? produce short films, live stream social media content to promote transparency and engagement. Would a podcast that is streamed live on social media and talks about transparency, engagement be part of the contract from your perspective?

Well, it really doesn't call for a legal opinion. I'd have to look at the contract, see what the content requirement of what they're supposed to produce is for. the podcast may be a separate totally different type of communication that she does privately on her own and not be part of the contract. So, or it may be, I don't know. I'll have to Okay. Well, I'd like your opinion on that. And if they are doing a separate private podcast on their own about the city, even though they have a contract with the city, is that a conflict of interest? No, it's not a conflict of interest because they wouldn't be uh personally benefiting financially from that. What in what way are they not personally benefiting financially producing social media content?

What would that be in conflict with the duties under the

contract? I'm going to I'm I I want to talk about an example here. So, uh the the the contract itself has two clauses that I'm concerned with. The conflict of interest and the contractor cooperation. And I've brought these up in the context of other contracts. And I know these are hard to enforce, but they're important to me. Uh in the contract it says the contractor shall refrain from acting adverse to the city's interests in promoting the goals and objectives of this contract. And it also says the contractor shall be responsible to maintain a cooperative and goodfaith attitude in all relations with city and shall actively foster a public image of mutual benefit to both parties. Uh do we have the video Kervin that I sent you? No. Did you get that? Okay. So there's a video I wanted to play but I had a feeling that it wouldn't be uh approved. So I'll just read the transcript of it and then I want to know if you think this is a fostering a public image of mutual benefit to both parties. Uh it is the two principles of Lotus mindset and one of them says uh see I'm having a hard time calling them commissioner or vice mayor because there's something of respect and esteem but when you start playing hood rat games that's how I got to deal with you like I got to deal with you like I got to deal with you like that's where you want to go. One thing you're not going to do because I don't think you're going nowhere Allison and I don't think you're going nowhere. I don't think Audrey's going nowhere and I ain't going anywhere either. You're going to have to deal with me, baby. Whether I have this contract or not, you're going to have to deal with me. So, get it through your head. So, do you think that fosters a public image of mutual benefit to both parties, accusing us of hood games and threatening us? I think that's a question of policy versus a question of law and it's for the commission to decide if it violates the policy and they wish as a whole to instruct the manager to terminate the contract, they

can do that. Okay. So, I'm going to make a motion to uh I guess determine that this contractor is in breach of the contractor cooperation clause of the contract and to terminate them. I mean, the the contractor has a first amendment right to express herself as well. And that's what we always hear. But when the contract is to produce films, live streams, and social media content content

and that's what they're using their content. That's the content they're creating in the name of being a city contractor and working on engagement and transparency. I I don't believe that it's fostering a public image that's mutually beneficial to all parties. I I never been accused of or threatened like that. So I I don't think that a contractor should be doing that. Second been moved and sec excuse me. I'm sorry. Been moved and seconded to to to what?

Determine that they are in breach of their uh the contract and terminate them. I'm not sure if we can det I mean I I'm not sure if we the board can determine they're in breach, but I mean we could certainly direct the city manager to terminate the contract. Who can determine if they're in breach of the of the contractor cooperation? Because Mr. Burman just said it's not him. I'll determine if they're in breach. I'll breach the contract and I'll need to see the material. Okay. So, do you believe they're in breach based on what I read? And the contract and I see the material just as I just said it, Commission, Vice Mayor, respectfully, I'll make a determination. Okay. My frustration is I asked this an email a month and a half ago and never got a response on that. So you asked the city manager. We were on it.

I'm on every email you send. I don't have those materials. I don't have it. I haven't seen it. I'm happy to look at whatever you'd like me to look at and render a legal opinion as to whether there's a breach of the contract for that reason. Uh the manager can get me the materials or you can get me the materials. Okay, we'll do that. I have. So I mean I mean you want to modify your motion just Well, I I'll withdraw it and wait for that report. That's fine. Okay. Unless Okay. I mean, well, it's your you got I mean I I'd like I' I'd like a determination um based on the contract and the content and I'd like that in writing from Mr. Burman.

Basically, the opinion would would state whether that would be sustainable or not a finding. So, but yeah, I mean I guess I will still make the motion that I believe that they are uh not serving our city and not fostering a public image of mutual benefit. And I would like to make the motion to terminate the contract or direct the city manager direct the city manager to terminate the contract. Okay. Second. Okay. Moved and second to direct city manager terminate the contract. Um Commissioner Fess,

thank you. I touched on it last night, but I was trying to speed through because it was so late. I vice mayor I'm I I tried for such a long time to just allow somebody the flexibility to exercise their first amendment right but when it comes down to making money there are extreme instances where in the same podcast the same independent podcast there's a a sponsorships slide being shown saying sponsor this podcast supported by and then then there's advertisements for Lotus Mindset tied to the There's there's another another recent post recent video that that I shared already this early this morning on social media where I was called um let's see uh just from memory I was called a sugar baby and my my my professionalism was questioned about my marriage and how I end up the on a house on the beach and how I was able to buy a condo questioning my professional background as well as my personal background. Um there was and that's just one like very short I think it's like a minute and a half blip. So one that one video you played I'd really like to see us be able to compile something before we have the city manager actually issue a determination that might not be worth anything because it might not actually be complete enough. So if you give us a date and time where you would like all of the documentation in order to support so that Mr. Burman can review it if necessary to see how and why this may tie in or may breach the contract and not just on that one piece but potentially in others. Um then that that would be something I would like to know. I'd like to have a time frame so which we can gather and submit the information that we would like you to consider. Um secondly, you know, just want to make sure that we also say that in the in the same

contract under number 18, audit and inspection records, we have the ability as authorized representatives of the city to inspect and audit all data and records of the contractor, if any, relating to the performance under the contract until the expiration of three years after the final payment under this contract. So just um just as a reminder, there's that too. So if we need to get anything, we have that right as per this contract. Just a reminder, I'm sorry, mayor. Just a reminder, the contract likely has a not termination notice provision. It actually has termination, Mr. Bman. Termination for convenience 10 days.

So, anyway, that's Look, I look my point is is that we've had a problem for this with this particular vendor and there's problems with other vendors, too. like let me just not I don't want to single one person out because I've said that before but this was brought up yesterday by my by me and this has been a continuing issue. This has been brought up several times by Commissioner Perkins I believe it's been brought up by Vice Mayor before um for well over a year now at this point. So now we have had an issue and a even after bringing this up there was a there was the decision made to not just you know not just give her another contract but nearly double the contract value and I think I think if you didn't see the video from last night or you need to go back and watch it or you need to go back and consider some of the things that were said there are a lot of questions related to the way that this vendor is behaving and technically being behaving on the behalf of the city. In fact, one of the co-hosts was in here last night and when there was the kurfuffle that you heard in the cloud in the crowd, it was because one of the co-hosts while Mr. King was sitting in the in the in the in the beginning of the meeting was sitting in the in the audience by himself came and and and started to verbally assault him in the middle of the meeting causing more kurfuffle. And so that is not how a city contractor or somebody who represents the best interest of the city behaves. and the fact that they had she had to be escorted out of the building last night. I think even that is a pretty key indicator we are not dealing with professionalism here. So I would encourage Mr. Burman and Mr. Harrison get us a date that is a reasonable date for us to compile any information that maybe any of us may have. And I'm sure some of it we glowing. I'm sure since the mayor sat on on the podcast with lots of to say about all of us um as well. You can go ahead and and and Miss Breemeister also another contractor of ours sat on the podcast and Susette

Cibble sat on the podcast

and yeah I said Rex and Lamar Fischer sat on the podcast all talking about the same thing. You're going to tell me that's not tied to this city in some way shape or form. That's not representing this city when we have elected officials doing so. You want she's coming out with a new voters list by the way telling you she said can't tell you who not to I can't I can't tell you who to vote for but I can tell you who not to vote for. Kind of the same thing. I mentioned it to you in our meeting February 11th, Mr. Harrison. So, this is not new news. It's been over a year of conversation. This is something we need to take seriously because this affects every single contract from here on out. And and again, I'm pin it on not them. I pin it on you because you're the one who's managing this or actually mismanaging this entirely. You are making us look bad as a city. You are making us look like a joke to other cities and I am really, really sick of it. Thank you. Very good. Further commission discussion.

Excuse me, mayor. Mr. Harrison, I'm not the one making you guys look like a joke. You're doing it to yourself. All right. Excuse me. Further commission disc Vice Mayor. Um, Mr. Harrison, I have layers of concerns about this contract. Also, there is the part that I pointed out, but I've mentioned before uh and asked what was the competitive process you used? How many proposals did you look at before you picked this one? I don't recall back when this first started how many there were.

And did you vet the contractor uh before you decided to hire them to do financial literacy? Did you vet their financial literacy or consider that as a criteria when you were making a decision? We we had folks that worked with uh their financial literacy expert, right? But the but the principal um who is the voice for the organization. Um I have heard from a lot of taxpayers on this one who are really in absolute shock that any taxpayer dollars are going to this kind of engagement. Um they're embarrassed actually

as as we have repeatedly said to you all the taxpayer dollars are not going to her private podcast. That's where all of this is getting jumbled up and that's where the accusation from uh Commissioner Fessic is coming from. And as we explained to her, and I believe all of you have gotten the same explanation, this podcast was going on long before we engaged uh Lotus Mindset for the CRA. Okay. When did the podcast start?

I don't know the dates. Maybe off the top of I'm pretty sure it did not. And part of her contract is to produce short films, live streams, social media content to promote transparency. Separate, then I would think that would be in breach of a conflict of interest. How do you say that's separate when it's city officials and elected officials are sitting on her podcast? So, how is Miss Cibil sitting on that helping them produce live stream social media content to promote engagement and you're saying no, that's not part of it? As far as I know, PMPO Beach, Pompo Beach has as much freedom of speech as anywhere else in the United States of America.

100%. But you've hired her to do a certain job and that's what And she's doing. You are mixing it in. Well, I'm not. Yes. Yes, you are. No, I'm not. Yes, you are. Well, I'm not. You most certainly are.

Oh, I'm not. You're just unwilling to admit reality because you've got a hired hitman that you like. Um but the taxpayers don't the the taxpayers really uh are in shock that their money is going to this and their roads don't get paved. So um I get messages all the time that the content produced is inappropriate. Um and um we will follow through obviously with Mr. Burman here on on legal opinions about whether because it's either this under the scope of the contract where it's listed and if it's not then I believe it's a conflict of interest to have a podcast on the same exact thing. So it's it's one or the other I think. Um but I'm not a lawyer so just want to correct something.

Yes. What I'm sorry I'm finished. Okay. Done with my hood rat games. I just Yeah.

I just want to correct something because um Mr. Mr. Hers, you said that I'm it's in making an accusation and I said very clearly that I have concerns that I expect management to correct. It's not an accusation. It is concerns that I expect management to handle because that's your job. And I don't appreciate being told that we are making us look bad. I am I am absolutely since day one have been fighting against everybody else coming at me only because I won an election. I am not going to sit here and don't even bother at this point. I'm done, too. I I You know what this is? I have had taxpayers come at me. I I get taxpayers I haven't even watched the stuff half the time. I have taxpayers sending me clips of things every now and then saying you need to or picking up the phone calling me say you need to go watch this because there's some nasty things being said about you about the vice mayor. It is inappropriate. when you have what the vice mayor just stated, it is a either a conflict of interest and maybe it is something that at some point when you when you're when you have the contract, it's a clear conflict of interest. There's clear crossover and like I mentioned last night, there is a muddled line. It is a blurred line at best. That's that's at best. At some point, we do cross over the line into potentially using taxpayer dollars to try to influence either an election or a decision. And that's where we cross the line from your oversight to the state's oversight, which I would welcome. Come on, baby. I'll show you everything I got and let's have that conversation.

Let's do it. Very good. Very bring them in. Further commission discussion. I've got Commissioner Seagerson and Eaton followed by Commissioner Perkins.

Thank you. Um, so I am not going to vote to terminate a contract based on the opinion of any of the of these you and the and vice mayor. I'm not I'm just not going to do it. It's a legal matter that should be handled legally and I'm not just going to do it based on opinion because that's what it is. it's your opinion and um I just can't I just can't support something like that. And I think when you talk about free speech, uh, I I see a lot of posts done by both you, Commissioner Fessic, and Vice Mayor Fornier, disparaging the city, disparaging staff, making unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations and induendos. But you have that right. You have that free speech. But you are tearing the city down when you do that. So how is that different than anyone else? Whether it's a podcast just because you happen to be the target and don't like what you hear. But again, I'm not gonna vote on a legal matter with no supportive evidence that, as Bren brought out, it's a legal thing and not based on opinion. Thank you.

Very good, Commissioner Perkins.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, I agree with you, um, Commissioner Eden. It it definitely is a, um, it's definitely a legal matter. However, I would Vice Mayor and Commissioner Fessic, I would take a different approach. I don't think that the city attorney is going to come back with much of anything. I don't care what you give him. You can tell by the people that have um been interviewed on that podcast, you know how it's going to come back. So, I would like to suggest to you two ladies because we don't have a city attorney represent us, you got to go outside. So, what I have done is I've gone outside to hire an attorney to represent me. And I know that's not something you want to do, but that's the only way you're going to get something done. So the city attorney is supposed to work for us, but he's working for who he wants to work for. So I I would love to keep my money in my pocket and just say, "Let our city attorney handle it." But we know that's one-sided. You know, he's looking out for certain people, and I've got to look out for myself. I haven't been in politics 43 years to sit up and be scandalized, talked about, belittled, and all those things that are being said. You know, I I know who I am. I I know what I do. And it's got to be really miserable to get up every morning to think, how am I going to bash this person? How am I going to belittle this person? How do you live like that? Know, and and sometime I'm thinking that maybe perhaps they're getting paid to talk about me and I think I'm worth being talked about. good or bad, but I you know just some things takes integrity

and integrity is when you do the right thing when nobody's looking. But they're doing all kind of things because they're trying to get people to look. I've never watched the podcast. Um I I get little bits and pieces of it on social media. I'm not interested in watching it. Um, but I do have all of the clips that are that are talking about me that I have submitted to u my attorney. Uh, which is very expensive. But vice mayor, you're not going to get any results from our city attorney. I can just tell you that now. So, you could send all the clips you have to him and they will find legally a way to get around it.

I'm aware. I don't actually watch it. I just hear. Thank you. I just I just have to say, Mr. Mr. Burman, sorry for some of the comments that have been made here today. I mean, you and I have buted heads before and I don't always get my way. I've found uh throughout time that you represent the city, not individual city commissioners. No matter what they want to do, you you ensure that the city is well represented. Thank you for that. Um further commission discussion. Yep. One last thing. Okay. Sure. Commissioner Commissioner Fac, I'm sorry. It's it's going to be of questions only for you.

Fantastic. This is a great question. So, I brought up last night that that I had concerns also with Sarah's brother signing the contract. Were you aware that he has significant uh issues within the city, Mr. Parrison, that she was arrested for and that that he was accused of and actually, I believe, convicted of sexual Let me just make sure I'm correct on this because I don't and and living at the house and and see Just want to make sure I'm correct in my statement so that I do not misspeak. He has a felony. Let's just say this. So he has he has a felony and he is required to be on a registered list. So whatever I'm going to, you know, dig through all that for right now. And

you're asking me if I was aware? Yes, sir. not until uh all of this came up. But I don't believe he signed anything with regard to the purchase of of that property. I believe it was Sarah's sister who co-barorrowed uh with her. Correct. And that's not my comment. But but but but what he did do is was a witness to this contract. I don't know. That's fine. All right. I just I'm just I'm just curious what level of what level of of question.

Yes. I said I am curious I'm leading into my question. Thank you and I will finish my thought as I fra frame it as a question. I'm just curious what level of involvement people in this city either management or commissioners or mayor vice mayor. I'm just going to look at anybody in the city or our consultants have had in working to support and encourage this particular vendor despite all red flags being raised by city commissioners.

Are you asking a specific question? Yes, I am. I'm I'm asking where when at what point are enough red flags raised, Mr. Harrison, that you start to pay attention? I've been paying attention. Thank you. Very good. Let's go ahead and open open it up to the public. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item on the motion to terminate the contract or the motion to direct the city manager to terminate the contract?

Um Delvin King, 2601 Northwest 12 Street. Um I've seen a couple of clips from the show. I've been talked about on the show. Um and the show is real deceiving. You would believe that this show is city sponsored and this it's deceiving the community because I've seen the mayor on there. I've seen Suzette on there. I've seen uh RMA just top people. So, the show seems like this show is about pushing the downtown project. And when city staff and city uh commissioners, well, the mayor, the figurehead of the city, as you would always say, the figurehead is on there, that makes that gives it the stamp that the city supports this podcast and everything that they say on there. So, if you don't support it and it's just her ideas, why would you go on there? Why would you bamboozle and tell this community and make it seem as if what she has on that show going, what's going on on that show is something that the city of Pompo supports. So you either telling us now that you support the show, we're going to keep it going or we not going to support it. But what we need to do now is it's so much division. We need to terminate the contract immediately. Immediately. She has no respect for herself, for the community that she lives in, and she has no respect for a few of the commissioners that sit up here. The only person she has respect and loyalty for is RMA Kim Breedmeister. That's the only person she will respect in this community. cuz I don't see why she has so much to say, but I never seen her I never seen her hit this podium and say nothing since she got the contract. She'll walk around and show give ugly

faces and take a couple of pictures, but she will not hit this podium and say nothing. What does she paid not to say nothing? Is that Is that what it is? She will not come up here and say not a word. Who told her not to talk? Is she paid not to talk? What we need to know is what I want to know since we gonna talk about the contract. Where exactly is the dollars going? How much is going to financial literacy? How much is going towards payroll? How much? Why can't we get a breakdown on how much she's spending on each and every line item? Again, why did it double? It's not double the work. But we know what the real problem is. We know what she's really paid to do. Terminate the contract immediately. It need to be terminated today. Today. Thank you.

Thank you. Further input from the public. Seeing none, public input closed. Further commission discussion. Let's call the role on a motion. Commissioner Fess contract. That's the motion. Yes. Or direct or direct the city manager to terminate contract. Yep. Commissioner Perkins. Yes. Commissioner Eaton. Cassigen Eaten. Sorry. No. Commissioner Smith. No. Vice Mayor Fonier. Yes. Mayheart. No. Commissioner, Vice Mayor, you still have a floor.

Thank you. Uh, I want to talk about Kester Park Funday, which is April 11th. I think this is the the fourth annual event there. And this one is um it's called Strikeout Head and Neck Cancer. Um Brad, who is well known in parks and wreck, has um been battling this and this year we're turning the event into an awareness of uh head and neck cancer. I believe there might be some screenings there. Um Holy Cross is also going to be in attendance. Uh and we normally have competitive kickball games and uh competitions between BSO and fire rescue for different food items, whether it's burgers or uh chili. So this year I think we will have all those fun activities, but also do it um to raise awareness for uh an important cause. So April 11th at Kester Park, it is a free event, all ages. I know I'm always out there playing whiffle ball with the kids. There's bounce houses. It's It's a lot of fun. 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. I hope to see all of you out there and all the kids in the community um out there having fun, enjoying themselves. And uh with that, I'm just going to say happy Easter also. And my quote is brief. Change is hard at first, messy in the middle, and gorgeous at the end. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you. Um I just got the one item and that is BSO. I know that we we do have a uh a contract expiration staring us down. So, as uh Mr. Harrison had suggested in his memo, his email memo to us, I would like to go ahead and um get a I'll make a motion that we direct Mr. Harrison to begin the process of negotiation with Broward Sheriff's Office for another one-year contract at to to to make sure we have police services um in place for when our current contract ends. So that would be a motion second discussion commission discussion commission vice mayor

I I think we need to do that also I brought this up but I'm unwilling to do that without some kind of oversight or involvement of this body um and a committee that's that's kind of involved in this. So, I I think doing the same thing over that we've been doing for years has gotten us to this point where we don't have a real good deal on the table, and I think we need to do something different this time. Thank you, Mr. Harrison. A quick question. Um, do you accept input on the BSO negotiations while you're going through negotiations from the from the commission? Sure.

Okay. That's that. So, there would be input. Anybody who wants to give input can be part of the process by talking with you about what's going on. This is this doesn't happen in an ivory tower out there where where everybody's kept in the dark. Of course, it'd be preferable if if anyone who does have conversations with you about that does not divulge the negotiations as they're going going forward. Um but that's that's of course up to each individual because it's not part of a shade meeting. Um thank you vice vice mayor and then we'll go to commissioner Fessie.

I believe it needs to be something more formal. We all have different relationships with the city manager and I understand you have an uh open line of communication and you trust that whatever you say is going to be done uh and follow through on and that you uh won't reneg on the things they say to you. But that's not the relationship that that I have and others have. So I think a formal process that we can all believe in will get us to the best deal for the residents of the city. Let's keep in mind what we're doing here. We're trying to negotiate the best deal for the people of the city. Uh, and I I think if we go through a more formal process with oversight and and a board to help us negotiate this or to help oversee the negotiation, we will get to a place where we can actually have something that we can approve in September versus ending up at a stalemate. Thank you.

Very good, Commissioner Pasik.

Thank you. Yes. Um, to to sort of reiterate that, I feel like number one, public safety is important. It is very important that we take the items that came from our aftellis report and the consultant and apply them to the contract. However, based on past performance, I do not have the full faith in city manager or city the city manager directing anybody to get the best deal possible for us simply because that hasn't been done as per our consultant. So, I I think oversight is important. I think public safety is important. I think getting it right for the residents is important to making sure we're getting what we want and for the right price. Making sure that we call in all of those those pieces of the pie that the consultant pointed out where we are missing the boat. So oversight is definitely needed. I would have to agree if we don't do it the right way with oversight with input and likely based on past performance and the to the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and and expecting a different result. So that is that is my that is my concern. It is very important we get it right for the residents. Public safety comes first. I think we deserve a more for formal process than just putting it in the hands of our city manager who has clearly ignored several conversations or several concerns of several commissioners on this board for well over a year. Thank you.

Very good. Further commission discussion. Commissioner Seagerson Eaton.

Yes. Um I I have to disagree with the premise that we have not had a good contract uh with BSO or that there was something lacking uh with our service. Now, you could pick apart anything and and and find something that doesn't suit you or your opinion again is that we don't have a good contract and that a good contract wasn't negotiated. This this contract with BSO was negotiated originally back in 1999 2000. Uh there have been years that we have not we've had less than a 5% increase. Uh but uh to to to frame it as if the contract was bad and it's the city manager's fault and his staff's fault that we had a bad contract, I think is really really beyond the pale. Um, yeah, you laugh. Uh, laugh if you'd like, but you've only been here a year. How do you know? I've never even heard your name before you wanted to run. So, you can laugh all you want, Commissioner Fess. Well, you can laugh all you want.

Let's try and stay focused on Okay, let's stay focused, but it's distracting when we have Commissioner Fess laughing. So I disagree with the premise completely that we have had a bad contract and we are taking something and and and vice mayor has just threatened that if she doesn't sit on that committee and the contract is not to her liking that she will not vote for it or that there will be I won't vote for something not to my liking

that's that commissioner cigar eaten that's not exactly accurate that's I mean she said it had to sit on it's a bullying she didn't hectic all right well you know Mr. government. I can let's go forward and let negotiations happen with BSO because we really don't have a choice. We need public safety and it's a very serious topic, not one to be uh used as a tool so that vice mayor can sit on a committee and control the press. Commissioner, please. Let's let's let's that that was not that was not the vice mayor said.

Uh I I that's the way I interpret it. And again, I I the premise is the way it the way it's framed as if we had a bad contract is both untrue and disrespectful. Thank you. Very good, Mr. Berman.

Thank you, Mayor. Excuse me. Um, first of all, I don't think legally that it's appropriate to have a U elected official who will eventually approve the contract serve on the negotiating committee for the contract. That could be an issue and I think it is an issue. However, what's clear is members of the commission have indicated that if someone were to work with the manager, myself, whoever else, uh, from the outside, whether it's Paul O'Connell, whether it's someone that we can bring in, we can always bring in someone who when we bring this to ensure that this commission when it reviews as a whole has the confidence that they're getting a good contract. there's nothing to prevent us from bringing anyone in to assist us in the consultation while we negotiate this contract. I would certainly welcome that. Um, and I think that's certainly a possibility. We've heard the request and I think between Mr. Harrison and myself and whoever else is going to be on this committee, we can bring in somebody that will instill confidence when we bring you the contract for review. So I think we can proceed move forward to negotiate the contract and hopefully um widen the scope of who the eyes that are on this.

Very good. Thank you, Mr. Burn. Appreciate it. Further commission discussion. Commissioner Fessic.

I'd like to correct something. So uh I was I was sort of chuckling because I was very confused as to how what was said was so completely twisted up upside on its head. And so, yes, I was taken a back a little bit because at a previous portion of this conversation today, we discussed how the consultants that we paid a good job and they identified areas where we can improve our contract and it was agreed and it was stated that that was the case. So, it's not about creating a standalone. It was not about lording anything over anybody. It was about trying to get the best deal for the residents, trying to make sure that we are covering all of our all of our goals for the for the community with public safety, getting the best deal possible, and just saying that previous oversight, which by the way, whether I've been here forever long, I I will tell you that I have gone back and read through the differences in the previous contracts because I was wanting to make sure I was aware of what was happening when it came up to us again. So if anybody would like to to question my ability to go through some documentation, I I would welcome you to try me. But I have read it and I I think even the report from Artellis is correct. We do have room for improvement and that's normal. Things change. We're human. That life changes. There's always room for improvement at every given moment. You learn something new, you can apply it. It's whether we choose to apply it or choose not to. So it I think that I think we need oversight of course and public safety is important. So I wasn't laughing at public safety. I was laughing at the fact that it seems that anytime we look at any sort of oversight based on past performance, we're shot down by some people who want to continue to control the narrative and and I don't think that's fair. Thank you.

Very good. Commissioner Smith, it looks like we're headed to another three three time.

Let's hope not. So, um, if if the motion was changed to include the consultant that's chosen by the negotiating committee to add a consultant to it, not not a commissioner, but a consultant that worked on the report. Um, would could we get support from the commission? because as it sits right now, there's a motion on the table that says negotiate the contract. If we're in a tie, we can't negotiate the contract and we have a problem. So, if I withdraw my second, mayor, would you add a consultant to the um the committee for the city manager and the attorney to work with? And would the rest of the group be willing to go ahead so we can get moved move off of dead center here? Um, honestly I I'm quite confident that the city manager working with all the other staff will take care of these uh these issues on his own.

Okay. And then so I asked now because I know it's going to 33 um if we vote 33 and it's tied. So what happens with the the negotiations with the contract to renew with BSO? Well, I was I was actually going to ask Mr. Harrison to to draft a memo to the entire commission to explain what what what's going on with that if uh without negotiation to renew the contract if this fails. Okay. Well, I'll keep my second there then and hope that we can move forward. Further commission discussion. Question. Commissioner Fess,

didn't we didn't we wasn't it publicized in the newspaper and didn't we receive something that says that he was going to go ahead and sign a contract anyway and already do something without any of our approval? Like did I did I miss something? I thought there was some sort of thought there was that was his recommendation. I mean I see it more I see it more frequently in the news and then I you know we got an email before our workshop saying that he was going to move forward with with negotiations anyway. So is is is any of this actually necessary or is it just is going on? Thank you. That's a question. What is it?

Mr. Harrison, did you send out an email? There was one one email that uh just simply said that uh I would advocate for uh us to go into negotiations with BSO for an additional one year. Right. That was in your original email to the commission. Yeah, that's I'm not sure what email Commissioner Fac I'm not sure what email you're referring to. And as far as news reports, that's that's news reports, which that's simply news. Um, Vice Mayor,

so I, like I said, am not comfortable just washing our hands of this and saying go negotiate a a good deal like we have in the past because I don't think we negotiate great deals around here for the people. I envision something that's more organized and has some kind of oversight and updates like our budget process. So we have a premeating where we can even all get together and and discuss from what we want to make sure they look into. Then we let the team go do their work and then they report back. I think this needs to be an iterative process with us involved. And if I'm not tied to exactly how that looks, it can look like our budget process. Maybe we have to run a parallel parallel process this year to get us comfortable on public safety for the next, you know, eight months. But we just saying go do what you've been doing, we trust you is is is not going to work for me. So let maybe we should ask the city manager to put together a memo with a timeline with some key dates and how we're going to, you know, maybe there is a workshop or maybe there is a discussion item here. um oa like you know once a month or every other month on one of our meetings where we talk about you know our feedback and get some kind of update. Obviously not putting the negotiation at risk but uh we need I think more than just the email from the city manager saying let me go negotiate a deal. We need to be involved in this at some level and to have communication of what's going on. So, if it's if if it looks more, like I said, a parallel process like our budget where we have occasional updates, I'm fine with that. I just am not fine with washing our hands of it and saying, "Bring us back something in September because I guarantee we'll get it one meeting right before it needs to be signed with without um updates along the way and without our feedback really being

included because we are not the same up here. We do not get the same treatment." Very well. Um this is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Seeing none public input closed. Any further discussion mission? Commissioner Seigus and Eaten. Yeah. I just want to say that if what what happens if we don't have a contract with BSO and we go on uh how do we provide public service, public safety, police uh services? How do h how do what does the city do going forward? And this is Can can you answer that? That's Mr. Harrison. I mean,

let's stay focused on this first. It's like because that's a hypothetical at this point.

Well, okay. But no, it's it's it's the ramifications that we really this is part of our duty to go into negotiations and we can be updated. Uh we can be updated at any time. Uh and and uh you know I remember uh last budget last year we BSO asked for a a larger increase than what they received. Uh that was toned down. Um so you know we we we need to go forward with negotiations. That's all we're talking about. We're not talking about a contract yet. and and the details of those negotiations which we can you know I I I don't see how I mean perhaps another member of staff one of our assistant city managers can communicate with you vice mayor if you don't think that you're getting but certainly you are entitled to the information. So, if you're not getting it, maybe it's just not what you want to hear. I don't know. But we this is a very serious very very serious uh issue that we have before us and we need to go forward with negotiations because I don't really think that the people want to spend $100 million a year for a standup which is you know $30 million more than what we're what we're paying now or approximately. I don't really believe that that our taxpayers want to pay for that. So, this is what it's about. It's about the residents. It's about taxpaying residents and public safety.

And I wish we could just move forward on this issue. Thank you. Very good, Commissioner Fess. Thank you,

Commissioner. I'm going to ask you to ask questions. No, I'm going to say what I have to say and that's what we're going to do. I feel very strongly that we need oversight and I feel I feel very strongly we need oversight and I would agree with the vice mayor that I also have the same questions that I would like to have us as a body and if it is a workshop I'm trying to find a way to work together here and perhaps maybe that's what the focus needs to come back. It's not about standalone again it's not about anything else. It's about negotiations so we get to the right contract that we can have confidence moving forward for the best interest of the residents. And if what it takes to get from point A to point B based on previous interactions and based on our consultants opinion is a little bit more oversight from this board to do what's right for the residents. It's called compromise. We've all had we've all heard the term, but very few of us apply it unfortunately. I know I've compromised. I know vice mayor's compromised. And it's very rare that certain three compromise on anything. This is for the residents. It's not about a win up here. It's not about making one of us look bad. It's not about personal opinion. It is about doing the right thing. And yes, getting into contract negotiations is important. Having the oversight is important because we have to justify our answers and what we do as a board to the residents we serve. So, this isn't about personal opinion. This is about yes, let's get the guest. Let's let's get something moving, but I don't have full faith in the way that it has been managed before. So, I would like to add a layer of oversight. And if we can do that, then I'll be all for it. So, if mayor, if you would like to amend your your motion in any way to allow for those workshops to happen, then I will be more than happy to support it. Thank you.

Very good. Any further discussion? So, can Mr. Perkins? Yes. Can you reiterate your motion to direct city manager to begin negotiations with the Broward Sheriff's Office to to uh come back with a year another year's contract? Okay. So the letter that was given to all of us, you know, in email. Mhm. It did it state that that was the city manager's suggestion that we it was suggested. Mhm. And what you want to do now is vote that we move to allow the city manager to move forward with the negotiation. Just the negotiation. The contract has to come back for us, of course, for for ratification.

But yes. Okay. So the the BSO contract ends in September of this year and we want to extend it. And the only question I have is what I've been asking before is how much is BSO asking the amount how much are they asking to extend the contract after September? Nobody knows. Part of the negotiations. That would be part of the negotiations. We haven't gotten there yet. We'd find out.

They've never given an amount of as September. We don't have anything. Oh, man. Okay. That would be something that we would be reporting back to you all uh as we progress through the negotiations. So if you are negotiating with staff, can you come back every commissioner meeting and tell give us an update exactly what's going on? But just an update just so we'll have some feel of what you what you're doing behind the scenes. what what the discuss

I don't know about every single commission meeting. It would depend on what would have happened between meetings, but as things progress, uh we could certainly uh provide the commission with an update of where we are in the negotiations. All right. Thank you.

But just to follow up on that, just a quick question, Mr. Harrison. Um of of course an update on where how things are going. But I mean getting down into the nitty-gritty. I mean that's a negotiation. You can't it it's kind of like any negotiation. I mean you don't want you don't want to put too much I mean too much information out there during the negotiation process. Would it's because it's give and take. Would that be accurate? Yes sir. There would be certain especially financial information as we progress that would not be a good idea to have uh public before uh everybody was uh at least had a handshake.

Okay, gotcha. Thank you. Just wanted to understand that. All right, further commission discussion. Yeah, it just goes back to uh trust, I guess. So, all right. Thank you. Good. Um thank you for that commitment, Mr. Harrison. Very good. Then if nothing further, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Fez, no. Commissioner Perkins, no. Commissioner Sigerson Eaton, yes. Commissioner Smith, yes. Vice Mayor Forier, no. Mayor Harden,

yes. All right, Mr. Harrison, if I could ask you to prepare a memo to the commission explaining what uh what what happens if we do not negotiate a new contract with the Broward Sheriff's Office. Um and uh and what will happen? Could he actually prepare something productive like a like a a proposal for how to move forward? It's because I mean Mr. Harrison, if you if you could if you could do that, I'd appreciate it. Put your hands back. Thank you. Yes, sir. All right. Very good. This meeting is adjourned.